


A Tale of Wishing Scales - Claimed by the Sea, Claimed by Death

by DawnThorn



Series: A Tale of Wishing Scales [2]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (1963), Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Child Death, Child Murder, Dead Dove: Do Not Eat, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Family, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Hardships, Human Sacrifice, human child sacrifice, mermaid au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-13
Updated: 2020-06-17
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:28:19
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,592
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24706093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DawnThorn/pseuds/DawnThorn
Summary: This is a companion piece which explores the story of River and Duode (12th Doctor). It is the prequel to my other story A Tale of Wishing Scales - Children of the Sea.
Relationships: Twelfth Doctor/River Song
Series: A Tale of Wishing Scales [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1783879
Comments: 4
Kudos: 5





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Heed the tags, chapter 1 and 2 are rather dark. You have been warned.

_It could have been long ago or not so long ago. Sometimes it is hard to tell for me. Who does keep count, when you are a deity? The story I am about to tell you could just have happened a year ago or very well 100 years ago. Honestly, I lost track of time._

_The story starts with the sacrificial murder of a girl to the sea goddess Calypso…_

*

Sad eyes, or sad eyes it would have been had the observer been human, watched another senseless murder of a young life. They couldn’t do a thing, just watch and then pick up the soul and guide it to a new, this time hopefully better life. That is, depending on who the sacrifice was for.

She was fighting, with all her might and it wasn’t enough. A child of 5 years was outmatched by the adults. Her own parents were pushing her small body under water, holding her there, until her need to breathe became to much, water filling her mouth and lungs and slowly her life faded from her still body.

Her translucent soul appeared near her body crying, still asking why. “Why mommy? I promised… I’ll be a good girl… what… did I do… wrong?”

They left the body to be taken away by the sea, food for its creatures. The priest started a chanting to invoke Calypso to take this soul.

Humans were so cruel to each other. But not this time. They wouldn’t allow it this time. They would foil Calypso’s never ending thirst for young souls!.

COME WITH ME CHILD.

Blurry eyes looked up to them.

~

A siren’s call was trying to get her attention while she still tried to understand her parents' actions. Her body was floating in the water, face down and naked. Another voice called her upon all the noise that made her dizzy. Everything slowed down until time itself didn’t move anymore.

She looked up and saw the cheetah goddess Karu in all her glory and beauty, who once was worshipped by the ancestors.

A flower crown made of white chrysanthemums adored her feline head, a single long dark blue cloth wrapped around her body, the end hanging over her left shoulder down to her calves.

The silver pendant around her neck resembled a cross but had an oval loop on top instead. The key of life.

The goddess kneeled down before her and opened her arms invitingly. Fresh tears came to the blonde’s eyes before she sought shelter in the offered embrace.

~

Death had been wondering in what form they would appear for the girl and it came as a surprise that the little one saw the long perished Karu. Death knelt down, offering a warm embrace which was gladly accepted. With her new claws she cut of the fabric from her sari hanging over her shoulder and wrapped it around the crying soul.

DO YOU HAVE A NAME CHILD?

“Melody.” came the muffled voice from her chest.

HELLO LITTLE MELODY. I WILL TAKE YOU WITH ME HOME TO A SAFE PLACE WHERE CALYPSO WON'T FIND YOU.

“Will you be my mommy, graceful Karu?” Teary eyes looked up at her, hopeful, trusting and lonely.

IF YOU WISH FOR ME, TO TAKE UP THIS ROLE, THEN I WILL BE YOUR MOTHER.

Picking up the girl Death took their… her leave. Calypso would be looking for this soul. She wouldn’t get it, that wretched sea monster. For far too long Death had done nothing. It was high time to spring into action and foil some plans, the girl in her arms only the beginning of something new and wonderful.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta read by the lovely krikkiter68 and soon with some fanart by the talented @agreatcheesecakestudentstuff as well. :)

_It could have been long ago or not so long ago. Sometimes it is hard to tell for me. Who does keep count, when you are a deity? The story I am about to tell you could just have happened a year ago or very well 100 years ago. Honestly, I lost track of time._

_The story starts with a young, pregnant mother. She doesn't want her child to be sacrificed to a demon Lord to uphold a bargain struck by one of her ancestors. But is it so much better to bargain with Death, and promising the first born child to them, if it is a boy?_

The bargain was struck like 5 generations ago, that the demon Nosferatu would prolong the life of the head of the family and in return a young maiden or boy or a newborn would be given in exchange to fool Death. The body for the demon, the soul for Death.

It would probably have gone on for far longer if not for a desperate pregnant mother who fled the estate once she caught wind of it that her unborn would be the next sacrifice.

4 months pregnant and she was running and hiding to the best of her abilities, calling upon any deity she could think of pleading for help. Her calls remained unanswered and in her anguish she finally called upon Death.

They was the only entity to finally answer her pleas. Clad in a purple hooded cloak, a scythe in its skeleton hands, a skull with two blue points the size of pinheads where the eyes would have been, the embodiment of Death appeared before her.

I HEARD YOUR CALL, WOMAN OF THE SECOND WIVES. I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE ASKING FOR. IT IS NOT POSSIBLE. THE DEMON HAS ALREADY MARKED YOU AND THE CHILD AS HIS.

“But isn’t there anything I can offer you instead? Is there nothing with which we could strike a bargain?” Her voice was trembling with fear. A fear not only for her unborn, but mostly for her very own life.

It saddened Death to see, that young woman before them, already corrupted before the demon took hold of her soul, willing to sacrifice her child.

If Death had normal human eyes they would have narrowed. There was a red ribbon coming from the womb of the woman disappearing in the distance. The red thread coming from the left finger of the boy, connecting the unborn with another existence. Gently touching the string, Death followed it to the other person. It ended in the left pinky of her daughter Melody.

Taking a deep breath Death told the time to stand still and for the first time in an eternity they sent a prayer to another entity to whom each and everyone answered: Karma.

IF IT WASN’T SUCH A DIRE SITUATION I  WOULDN’T CALL UPON YOU. BUT I  NEED YOUR HELP OLD FRIEND.

From the patch of earth, encircled by the light coming through the leaves of the surrounding trees grew an enormous lotus flower. Opening it revealed a golden haired woman, with the eyes and complexion of the far eastern isles, clad in a very colourful twelve-layered kimono. Her golden fox ears and nine tails twitched in excitement.

“Oh! This is such a novelty! You calling for my help!” She gave a girlish giggle.

YOU ARE THE ONLY ENTITY THAT KNOWS ABOUT ALL THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN, THAT ARE, THAT WILL BE AND THAT COULD HAVE BEEN.

“I know. Tell me something I don’t know.” She answered in a singsong voice and giggled again like a girl.

I  HAVE A BETTER IDEA. WHY DON’T YOU TELL ME, WHAT YOU SEE UPON HEARING THE NAMES CALYPSO AND NOSFERATU…

An angry howl was Karma’s answer.

I ASSUME FROM YOUR REACTION THAT THEY ARE ON YOUR LIST AS WELL?

“They are unpredictabilities.” Her tails and ears were puffed up, her hair standing in all directions. “I will help you, but I still want payment.” Karma grabbed the red thread and look in the far distance, seeing the sleeping Melody. Then her eyes wandered to the frozen mother, widening in surprise.

“Oh my! He will have such gorgeous eyes! I want his eyes as payment!”

Death was silent for a few seconds before their skeletal hand grabbed inside the woman and took the child’s eyes. In their hand lay two beautiful light blue gems, which were handed over to Karma. “His eyes will make beautiful earrings for me. And here is what you get for your payment: the fate of the child will be changed. He will live, Nosferatu won’t get him, you will get the head of the family, the mother’s soul and the demon himself. Now, ain’t I nice to you and your child?”

INDEED. THANK YOU KARMA.

With this deity it was best to take what she would give you and run before she changed her mind. Happily laughing Karma went on her merry way and time resumed its normal course.

I  WILL SEE WHAT I  CAN DO, TO HELP YOU. BUT IT COMES WITH A PRICE.

“Anything you ask of me!” was her quick response.

I  WANT YOUR CHILD AS PAYMENT, IF IT IS A BOY. IF YOU GIVE BIRTH TO A GIRL I  WILL STILL HELP YOU, NO STRINGS ATTACHED.

Never before had anyone accepted his hand and offer so fast. Truly a corrupted soul, thinking herself safe, because she was of the line of the second wives. Women, who were known to give birth only to girls, never boys which disqualified them as first wives.

5 month later a blind boy was born with the mark of Death on him, which only showed during the full moon, when half of his face and body would appear skeletal like...


End file.
